One Death is a Tragedy
by Rikka35
Summary: What happends after you've saved the Digital world? Does everything go back to normal? Do tamers lives continue happily? For Ashley and Jacob its the begining of a whole new type of hell. Chapter 5 is up!
1. Intro: My Life

First fic, its with me and my friends character we created years ago and have evolved over the years. Right now its just my character and my friends character but I may add in more i'm not sure yet.

Things to keep in mind are, that I'm a Artist first, then an athlete. I'm not a writter so the writting may not be up to standard but feel free to help me out and tell me what you think. It also may get confusing because of the fact that i'm not a writter feel free to help me on that too.

Last thing Digimon is (c) Bandai and not to me, Jacob and Swordmonis (c) Lindsay (he's a guy people get over it ), Ashley and Firemon and (c) to me.

* * *

_Three years ago we were just ordinary kids. Its amazing how much things can change. Back then we were all so carefree. Well…most of us. I'm still the same as always. Sometimes I wonder why but deep down I know the answer. I'm afraid of change. _

_Three years ago we first got our Digimon. Three years ago I met Firemon. We trained together, through rain or shine. Back then we knew that our Digimon were not just they're for our amusement. We knew that it was something more. No one bothered to train themselves though, not like me and Firemon. Actually that's a lie. There was one other…Jacob. _

_He and Swordmon we're my equals we couldn't beat them and they couldn't beat us. Like a mutual agreement of each others strengths. We covered for each others weaknesses, I didn't like it but I agreed to it. I still don't like to depend on anyone. _

_But things have changed, no one keeps in contact with each other, we've grown more distant then we ever were. We saved the Digital World from corruption but at a terrible price. Our friendship._

_What am I talking about I don't need them anyways. I've got Firemon, and that's all I need to be strong. _

_The existence of Digimon is now public knowledge. Humanity doesn't like it but you see Digimon everywhere now. Its becoming more common for kids to have them now, but defiantly not any easier to keep them. Parents thinking they're dangerous monsters. Government wont do anything about it. They're too busy kissing each others asses._

_I spend most of my time in the Digital world, I can't stand the real world anymore. I left my parents a note saying I was leaving and that they shouldn't expect me back anytime soon. Will they miss me? Probably not; they never cared much for what I was doing. They weren't exactly thrilled with Firemon either. But I don't need they're opinion._

_Swordmon, Jacobs Digimon. He disappeared two months ago. No one knows what happened, the Digital world was definitely getting worse. But I wont leave, I cant. _

_If only I knew…it's about to get a million times worse…_


	2. Chapter 1: Tragedy

Ashley Whynott, a fourteen year old girl sat on the steps to the church of Justimon, a great building if she ever saw one. It was so far out in the wilderness that few ever ventured here and with no one to look after it, it just rotted away. Behind the temple a hill rose behind it making it look even more eerie, it probably added to why no one came here. It made her sad to see such a great building go to waste so she always stopped by whenever she could and cleaned it up a bit. It didn't help all that much but there was little more she could do. It was late in the day the sun already setting below the horizon, lighting the sky a deep crimson.

Ashley was a little on the short side, she had ice blueeyes which concealed her every thought and emotion and dark brown hair which was dyed blue in the front; it reached to just above her waist. She wore a black shirt with the left side ripped off. Just one more reminder of the battles she had faced. Her dark blue jeans washed and clean but still carrying the marks of battle. Her right hand had a black fingerless glove wile her left arm had bandages that wrapped from the forearm to her hand and a black arm band above that. Goggles lay loose around her neck; they were a steel blue in color with traces of black the lenses cracked and broken. The belt around her waist had two things attached to it; her modify cards and her D-arc. Her Digivice.

The reason she had fought all those battles, was all because of who was sitting next to her on those steps, her digital partner; Firemon. Firemon was Vaccine Fire-dino Digimon. He was about 3 feet tall and a dark red in color. He had black flames that started at his nose and continued all the way down his back and to the end of his tail. He also had white spikes that started at the middle of his head and continued down his back to the end of his tail. His eyes were a light piercing green. He also had a symbol on his left shoulder, it was a diamond surrounded by a swirl with had spikes coming northeast and southwest from it.

It also explained why she was in this world, the digiworld, she was a Tamer (which she had to admit even she thought as fun sometimes) was full of danger, one wrong move and you would be dead.

'_Or deleted.' _She thought. _'Like Swordmon.' _She shook her head; there was no point in dwelling on the past. Swordmon was gone simple as that. What she didn't understand was what _had_ deleted him. Jacob had never said. He had left as fast as he came. Understandable to say the least, Swordmon was his Digimon after all.

She looked down at the goggles around her neck. She remembered how she had once worn them with pride, now she looked at them and their cracked lenses all she saw were broken memories. They had done much but now it all lay in waste. They were divided, scattered. Barely keeping in contact with each other. It had been a long time since Swordmon's deletion; perhaps too long.

_'What a mess' _

She glanced over at Firemon who was whistling happily looking around at everything that moved. She sighed. It was just like him, not a care in the world. The only thing he seemed to be stiff about was honor. He had this whole honor issue going on. Not that she minded. He also had this rather odd obsession with food.

"He he." Firemon said with a grin, one of those ones he seemed to always have on. She had even seen it in the thick of battle.

Firemon who was preoccupied with whatever it was he found so interesting at the time and Ashley who was deep in thought never even noticed Jacob Taylor walk up to them. He coughed to make his presence known.

"Ack!" Firemon shouted in surprise. Ashley merely looked up but even she could not completely control the look of surprise that washed over her face barely noticeable but it was there. Accompanied by Jacob was a Digmon, one who she had never seen the likes of.

_'A new partner?' _She thought. It didn't seem likely the air surrounding the Digimon seemed to be familiar and yet at the same time not. It was difficult to describe.

"Your new partner?" She asked rather indifferently, as if not really caring what the answer was but just asking to make conversation something she didn't make a habit of doing.

The new Digimon spoke, "Yeah…" He leaned against a tree in such a manner that would have made you think that Ashley's question irritated him.

Jacob gestured his hand towards the Digimon and said, "DarkBlademon, virus type, Ultimate."

The name of neither his Digimon nor the fact that it was a virus shook her. Swordmon had been a virus, she knew now that not all virus types were evil. But even with that fact something still put her at unease, but her face showed none of this. It never did, and when it did you'd never notice it. She had become a master of keeping things to herself.

Apparently Firemon had the same instincts. Unfortunately Ashley and Firemon were almost completely different in respects to personality and self-control. Firemon acted on his suspicious and fired a ball of fire at the tree DarkBlademon was leaning against. DarkBlademon jumped out of the way.

_'Man Firemon learn to control yourself.' _The fire was extinguished the moment it hit the tree, Firemon dispersing it then, but it was just enough to flare the Digimon's temper.

DarkBlademon turned to Jacob and said "Should I delete him?" His voice was that of a killer; cool showing no emotion, treating it as if it was just another annoyance that had to be taken care of.

Jacob fortunately did not take to this side. "No!" he said rather hastily.

Unfortunately for matters Firemon also was very cocky. "No one can delete me, I'm undeletable." He said which he followed with a dance of some sorts. It mainly consisted up jumping up and down in a circle.

Ashley just shook her head. She knew herself not to get cocky, so did Firemon but he never seemed to care as much as Ashley did about the consequences of it. Ashley constantly had to remind him, "Not with an attitude like that."

DarkBlademon looked over at Jacob with an expression of annoyance. "Please?" He asked in almost a pleading way. "I mean, he _is_ asking for it."

Ashley stiffened up, now she knew she didn't like this Digimon. Deletion was a crime she had committed. Though not of fun or sport, only in defense. Had she had her own way she would never have deleted anyone. It was a crime that made her sick. She didn't like this Digimon's attitude. It went against her morals.

Once again Jacob forcefully yelled, "No!" Though it did seemed weakened from before.

Firemon crouched into a defensive position. "Do you even know who I am?"

DarkBlademon, rather coldly replied, "No." with a wave of his hand that suggestion he didn't really care, even if he was a Digimon god.

At this Firemon emitted a low growl of anger. He didn't care much for this Digimon's attitude and morals either. "You smell like…" He paused a moment to sniff. "Sword; but your no friend. Right?"

DarkBlademon merely laughed and said, "No." Apparently what Firemon had said had caused some amusement to him. Whether it was his lack of a strong vocabulary or just what he said, something amused him.

Firemon, who didn't like how DarkBlademon laughed at him, growled again. This time louder more threateningly. The air around them was tense, a fight threatened to break out at any moment and neither tamer wanted it. Ashley was sure she could contain Firemon. He was maybe reckless at some times but he knew better then to disobey Ashley. Ashley never punished him but the look on disappointment that filled those ice blue eyes was more then his sense of honor could bare. What she wasn't sure of was whether Jacob could control his Digimon. The air around him once again left her with her doubts.

But before a fight could breakout Jacob interrupted and said, "New Digimon Firemon."

Firemon stopped growling and relaxed but his face puffed up with a look of unacceptance. "Hmph." He pouted. "The Sword was better." Obviously Firemon had not yet let go his friendship ties to Swordmon. How could he of? They had been through Hell and back again more then enough times. They all had. She knew Firemon would be acting the same way had it been any other Digimon they had fought with that had been deleted. He got attached to them, something Ashley never did, the only exception had been Jacob, but no so much as to let him know anything about her.

A sorrowful look passed over Jacob. More then anyone it had to have been the most painful for him. Swordmon, after all, had been his Digimon partner. He looked away over at DarkBlademon, "The other one…Suddenly disappeared…" He sighed a deep inward sigh of sorrow, "Poor Swordmon…"

Ashley knew Firemon knew the immense sorry Jacob was feeling, so she couldn't explain what he did next; He sent a fire blast at Jacob that he just narrowly managed to side step. Ashley was just about to ask Firemon why he did that when DarkBlademon suddenly got offensive.

"Ok now I _am_ deleting the little freak! Well not little but…" He said as he formed a blade out of the darkness.

Firemon crouched low into a defensive position again and growled. Ashley then knew she had to stop this before something bad happened but she had no idea how and right at that moment her anger overpowered her.

"Touch him and die Darkretardmon." She said her voice well over the edge of anger.

Jacob who then realized that Ashley wasn't going to help stop the fighting was now getting frantic, desperate to stop the fighting shouted "Stop it…NOW!"

At this DarkBlademon growled. (which only increased both Firemon and Ashley's suspicions about him) He growled but the sword dispersed and DarkBlademon shrunk back. Firemon however did not back down and continued growling until Ashley raised her hand to silence him and he stopped.

Jacob looked down at his feet and said, "I hate it when he gets like this."

Ashley, who was fed up with all this bullshit, attacked Jacob "I just hate him. No offense but your Digimon's an ass."

Jacob didn't remove his gaze from the ground like there was something interesting down there that he just couldn't take his eyes away from. "I know…" He said reluctantly. "But he's a lot nicer in other forms. Its just this one goes a little nuts."

Ashley however, wasn't buying his explanation. "Digimon's personalities don't just change. Its still the same Digimon whether it's an in-training, rookie or a Mega. There still the same Digimon."

"hmm…" was all Jacob managed to mutter. DarkBlademon however De-Digivolved to Blademon as if acting on untold orders that he received secretly from Jacob.

Firemon who seemed to still not be on peaceful terms with Blademon growled at him and his newer lesser Rookie form.

Blademon jumped back surprised, (or so it seemed to Ashley) and said "What?" Tears started to form in his eyes, "Why does he hate me so?" he said, and after started to sob.

With an issued hand towards Blademon he said, "See what I mean?"

Ashley turned her ice eyes to Jacob and fixated them on him with her cool unreadable emotionless stare. "Your Digimon is fucked." She said plainly stating it as fact rather then her opinion. In the sky the sun sunk lower beyond the horizon the night would soon be here.

Jacob nodded slowly and said, "Yeah." Which set off alarm bells in Ashley's head again. Why would he agree with her? She just cleanly and plainly degraded his Digimon and he agrees with me? Something was up. He would have never let her gotten away with saying that in the old days, with Swordmon…

But while he was agreeing with her she added, "Like split personality fucked."

And once again he agreed with her "Exactly." He said. "DarkBlademon isn't even his most asshole form. You should see his mega."

Like a dessert passed up (or a rotting pile a garbage, depending on how you look at it) Ashley said, "No thanks." Clearly indicating that she had to desire to see his Mega form in this or the next ten lifetimes.

Firemon stopped growling at Blademon but continued to glare at him as he back up behind Ashley using her for a shield, or putting her in-between to stop him if he ever lost control of himself and attack. Blademon just looked at Firemon and continued to sob, if not a little louder.

Jacob brought his face to his palm and just shook his head.

Firemon with his undying sense of honor stepped out from behind Ashley and attacked Blademons' "Don't like you. You take The Sword. Have no honor."

This apparently hit a nerve in Blademon, through all his crying. For then he warp Digivolved and Firemon was then staring at a very pissed off looking Mega; DarkWarBlademon.

DarkWarBlademon let out a thunderous roar, "NO HONOR?"

Jacob was then looking_ very_ afraid. "Oh shit." He said almost inaudible.

Firemon (who Ashley already knew was brave beyond belief) Stayed in his Rookie form and continued to stare up at DarkWarBlademon looking, rather unafraid. "Yes no honor, you Digivolve without command from Tamer." This shook some sense into the Virus Mega for he then returned to his Rookie form.

"You're right." He said before breaking out into sobs again. _Very emotionally disturbed. _Ashley commented again in her mind.

Firemon, however, wasn't done. "Bust up and kill after crying, threaten a rookie…" He trailed off hinting that he could go on. This was more the Blademon could take he ran off into the wood crying and sobbing uncontrollably.

"I need to find a Digimon shrink." Jacob said before hurrying off after his crying rookie.


	3. Chapter 2: Do I know you?

7

"Hmph." Firemon said, turning back to face Ashley. "Don't like."

Ashley looked down at her Fire-dino Digimon. "No there's something not quite right about this." She agreed.

"Do you think Blademon be evil, posses Jacob?" He asked.

She shook her head, "No I don't think its that, I've delt with that before remember? It happened to me. No. This feels… different."

Before more could be said Jacob returned, Blademon with him. Not even five seconds after his return Ashley attacked him again. "A Digimon shrink may be a good idea but getting "The Sword" back might be a better step in the right direction. Wouldn't you say?" '_What's happened to us? _She wondered to herself _When did we slip from happy and carefree into darkness, deceit, lies and depression? When did we fall? And more importantly Why?'_

Blademon let out a small sniffle but Jacob ignored it. "I do miss Swordmon…" He said. He looked as though he was going to continue but Firemon cut him off.

"Its Blade-evils fault." He said clearly not thinking about what he was doing and saying the first thing that popped into his head. Which Ashley had been known to do a few times.

It was now that Jacob decided that they had gone too far. That Firemon had crossed some invisible line that only he knew. "Blademon did not delete Swordmon." He said. His voice tense, on the edge. "I programmed Blademon from Swordmon's data."

This struck both Ashley and Firemon like a ton of bricks… multiplied by a thousand. The usual slightly comic voice (if only for his lack of vocabulary) of Firemon was not so comical now.

"Blade. Sword…replacement." Is was more of an accusation then a statement. Firemon's back hunched over and his spikes flared up. Ashley had rarely seen him in such a defense position. But then it was really more of a defensive position then it was an attacking one. He looked like a tiger waiting to pounce.

Jacob as though oblivious to all of this coolly shrugged his shoulders like nothing was wrong and said, "He still has some bugs."

Firemon spat at the ground in front of him, while he and Jacob were usually on good terms (despite a scuffle here and there) right now every part of Firemon loathed him. It was only by the skin of his self control that he did not attack and rip the head off of Jacob right here and there.

"You evil human." He said, his voice cloaked in rage. "Digimon not to be programmed for your use." To save himself from acting without orders from his tamer he stormed off. Actual sparks emitting from his body.

Jacob shouted after him, not knowing whether he could hear or not but still feeling the need to defend himself. "Sword got deleted and I tried to get him back by creating a Digimon from his core personality!" He yelled. "If the core wakes Blademon will act like Swordmon! And he WILL be Swordmon!" He sighed and turned to Ashley now that Firemon was gone. "So sorry for trying to save a friend."

Ashley who would say that of all the Tamers that Jacob was the one she most got along with. (or had less personality clashes with) But even she had her limits. She took a step forward and seemed grow from the rage she was attempting to control. Though Ashley was a shorter then Jacob at that moment it felt as though it was the other way around.

"Except he's Blademon and will never be Swordmon! You lost your Digimon accept it! You cant fix what is broken you cant create life! Its immoral! Digimon and their Tamers choose each other, no matter how subconsciously! It's the cycle, if your meant to have a Digimon your partner will come to you! If Swordmon was to ever come back it was because you once again proved yourself ready enough to have a Digimon. I understand you want Swordmon back but I don't agree with what you've done. You've sunk even below my level."

Unlike Ashley who seemed to grow with rage, Jacob seemed to shrink back, Ashley was a scary girl when she was upset. He once knew that but he was about to learn it all again.

"…Swordmon can't comeback on his own, the damn virus made sure of it." He said, attempting to explain himself.

Ashley leaned back and crossed her arms, no longer menacing but still looking very ticked He had never told anyone what had really deleted Swordmon. '_So it was a virus then was it?' _She thought. "Swordmon was a virus type was he not?" She asked.

Jacob mistook her meaning, whether on purpose or not she wasn't sure. "It was a virus type that deleted him. It was a pure and simple virus. "I barely saved his core self…"

Ashley still stood there waiting with the same ticked off expression. It had never changed, not since they had first met through till now, her expressions were still the same, they were still…Ashley. And for good or bad she still carried that cool tone, if not a little colder she said, "I'm asking you a question."

As if her words cut right through him he replied in an almost submissive tone, "Yes he was a Virus type."

She kept her face completely unreadable, like she always did. She couldn't let anyone in because if her walls came down… She didn't want to think about it. "You saved his core self, so you should it free. Since he was a virus type he may be able to reconstruct himself with the scattered data in this world."

He shook his head. "Believe me, I tried. I know how it works… But his core just started to degrade outside my Digivice. It can only live if it can only live in there or in Blademon." He said. "The core itself is damaged, and its corrupt. It cant heal."

Now Ashley was getting irritated again it was showing. "You just don't get it do you? You have the core. Do you not?"

"6.01 percent of it. Yes. The rest was lost in battle and when I tried letting it free…" Jacob was going to continue but Ashley cut him off.

"Fuck you, fuck you to hell. You should have let him be deleted, it would have been better for him." Now he composure fell, even after all they'd been through she couldn't take it. Not anymore. This…this was… She couldn't even think straight.

To this Jacob had no instant reply. Silence fills the woods, there is no noise anywhere. Then a single tear falls down his face, "Fine." He drops his Digivice to the ground and the screen smashes scattering glass everywhere.

She regained her composure. Satisfied with what he had done, even knowing what it meant and what it must be doing to him. What _she_ had done to him. She knew all this and understood it all too well. But she still made no reaction to this. She just stood there, but not completely still a slight twitch went through her body as she attempted to keep her composure.

Over Behind Jacob Blademon started to destabilize and phase out. With the core of Swordmon gone he couldn't keep himself there any longer. Ashley (as if to make a point) kept her eyes on Jacob and not so much as glanced at Blademon who has almost completely disappeared now.

On the ground Jacobs Digivice which was usually a deep red was turning black. "This virus that got Swordmon…" He started his voice completely monotone. "Its coming fro the rest of us. I had come here to warn you but I got caught up in…this."

Ashley who was not over confident, but always stated the facts, whether it was offensive or not said, "It wont get Firemon." She sounded so sure about it, as if she had no doubt. The tone of her voice could not have been mistaken, it carried no trace that she thought that Firemon was any stronger then Swordmon had been.

Whether Jacob understood this was questionable but the aura surrounding him didn't seem to care. All he had wanted to do was warn them. "It will…If you try and fight it." His Digivice was now completely black the darkness had consumed it, finally. Irony amazed her for with the coming of the black Digivice the sun had completely disappeared below the horizon. The night was finally here.

"Trust me there's more then one way to beat a virus." She said to him, not knowing how she would accomplish such a thing but knowing that right then at this moment she needed to be strong.

"Find the anti virus. It's the only way." He said. Behind him Blademon had completely dispersed. Nothing but emptiness where moments before the sad twisted version of a dead Digimon had stood. Jacob turned around, his back facing Ashley, who hadn't moved her eyes from Jacob as Blademon disappeared. She made no indication that she had even known he was there.

"I don't make a point of depending on others." She said. "But, with that virus, you should have ran, came to us then we could of plotted a way to destroy it. It always seemed to work before." '_Before everything went to hell. What happened to us? '_ Again she asked herself this because try as she might she couldn't find the answer.

He pauses, "…I was trying to defend a Digimon village." He took out his E-Cards and began chucking them off the side.

Ashley didn't buy it, "You get who you can and run, or use the D-Arc to call for help. What was it? You though we wouldn't help you? I…We were always there for you. Whether you knew that or not."

She glances down at the now black Digivice. The grass around it had withered and died. What the hell was going on? Before she could ponder that thought anymore Jacob exploded on her, he whipped himself and around and shouted, "THERE WAS NO TIME!" With this he turned and disappeared into the woods.

Ashley muttered to herself full of anger, "Fucking right there was no fucking time. I feel bad for Swordmon though." She shook her head, "Whatever not my problem." She turned her back to walk away, in the opposite direction from which Jacob had left. She couldn't stand the thought of seeing him after what she just did to him. '_Is he the monster or am I? Or are be both just a bunch of kids who went in way over our heads? '_

Before she could leave though a dark voice came from the black Digivice. "It will be…It will be."

Having taken all the crap she was gonna take tonight she turned herself around and walked over to it. "You tryin' to make a point?" She demanded of the Digivice.

In response the Digivice glowed with black energy. Black is not a color, it does not glow, so that was the wrong term for it; it created a shadow of energy around it. Either way this disturbed Ashley's mind. Which was already at unrest from the events that had just taken place. "You will all die. One by one." It said, but it had no voice, hard as it was to explain. It began to scorch the ground beneath it.

As if ignoring all this she continued in her confidence, "I highly doubt that. Look if your looking to shake fear into me your sadly mistaken." She was no one to get scared. She couldn't allow it. To become afraid was to become weak, open for attack. She had no place for it.

"No only a warning." The screen glows for a moment and the shattered pieces of glass fly onto it and melt back into place, fixed. On the newly fixed screen Swordmon appears, but not Swordmon. He had black lines glowing along his armor and he looked like he was corrupted; badly.

"Swordmon?" She says in disbelief before shaking her head in denial. "You're a joke; I don't buy any of this bullshit. Don't bother warning me because there's no need."

The twisted version of Swordmon twitches and laughs a little. "Heh…Same old you." It said. "You're a fool and you _will_ die."

Before Ashley could respond the entire Digivice fades out. None of this made any sense but she knew that when the time came that she would face it. The outcome could either be could or bad but she knew that fate would decide what she had meant to do. She believed in fate; and she hated the bastard.

"Scared now." She said pretending to shake. "Fucking messed up piece of shit." She sighed. "Better go find Firemon.

"No need." Said a voice and Firemon jumped down in front of her. Apparently he had been watching the whole thing. "I be here." He said in that same childlike voice. But something had changed. It had been gradual but his voice had gotten more mature. But he still couldn't master the English language.

By now the entire grass around the temple had died and a light rain had started. It seemed even the sky was sadden by what had just taken place. Atop the hill behind the temple a dark figure was silhouetted against the night. _Jacob._

Firemon pointed and said, "Jacob." She already knew this but she did not correct him.

He came closer so you could see him and even though something was seriously wrong you could still tell it was him.

"What now?" She asked him. His eyes flashed a deep red, and the light rain poured, down on them becoming heavier then she had ever felt. It weighed her down, relentless against her but Jacob did not seem affected at all. "Creepy… Firemon!" She commanded.

He nods and closes his eyes. "Firemon…" He began as he started the digivolution. "Warp Digivolve to…." Ashley's Digivice glowed as he Digivolved into his mega form. "Ashmon!."

Ashmon was 7 feet tall with white armor that had black flames everywhere. The front of his armor had the same crest that had been on his shoulder as a rookie. On his arms blades extended out of his armor. On his hip was a large sword. The Golden Sword, given especially to them for their deeds to the digital world.

After this had taken place a thump was heard behind them. "What the?" they both said as they turned around.

Jacob was behind them and yet he wasn't. He looked like a cross between him and Swordmon. It wasn't anything she had ever seen before. He drew a very large sword from his belt.

Despite all this Ashley still could say without any change in her voice, "Not scared."

Ashmon nodded. "Me either." He said as he drew his own sword. "Wouldn't be the first time we faced shit like this."

The sick version of Jacob and Swordmon swung his sword menacingly through the air; dark energy rippling through the air. "One touch and you're dead fools." He said. His voice was distorted; it sounded like him, Swordmon, and…something else. But if he did touch them the virus would eat through them and delete them. '_Just like Swordmon.'_

"hmmm…" Ashmon said like he was thinking but Ashley knew that the monstrosity in front of them was throwing him off track. Covering this he swung his sword a bit and said, "Like to see you try and touch me." He sounded more confident then he felt, but no one but Ashley would be able to tell.

Her mind was racing. '_How do we beat it? How do we beat it? It already got Jacob, you cant let it get you. You have to beat it and at the same time free Jacob and Swordmon. Come on Ashley think of something!' _

The twisted version of Jacob and Swordmon turned towards Ashley and raised his sword. "Hmm…So I should kill her first then." He decided.

Ashmon stepped in front of him sword raised in a defensive position. "Not before me." He said. "Have some honor."

He grinned. It was horrible thing to see, it felt so unnatural to see, even more then what he was to begin with. "You forget…" He said with a hint of amusement in his voice. "I'm a fucking virus, what would honor mean to me?" He stabbed his sword forward but its blocked by Ashmon with the Golden Sword.

"Those who fight without honor die without it. Remember that." He retorted. Their swords still clashed each one struggling for the other to weaken.

"One touch…Fool!" He says and the golden sword began to turn black and crack. But despite this Ashmon did not jump back and still strained himself to fight back Jacob's strength.

"No. You're the fool." He said. The Golden Sword glowed with a radiant energy and it heals itself, completely golden with no cracks visible. "The blade cannot be broken for it was forged by the DigiGods and while they live so does the blade." He breaks free and swings his sword at Jacobs head. The blade passes right through him with no effect.

"Heh, pathetic." He said mockingly eyeing the look of surprise on Ashmons' face. "Now you know why Swordmon and Jacob fell so fast."

"Ashley, we may need a new strategy." Ashmon said a strained look on his face as he blocks more strikes from Jacob. His sword was powerful but it was too slow

"I'm thinking I'm thinking." She replied, but she was out of idea's nothing she could think of would have any effects. "My cards are all useless." She said flipping through them. None of them could delete a virus. '_Where the hell was the anti-virus card?' _She thought. There was no such thing but something like that would sure as fuck come in handy.

"I need to be a bit faster." Jacob said and his Sword shrunk into a katana. He swung through empty air testing it out. "Much better."

In an attempt to still act confident. "That it?" She said acting out a mocking tone. Jacob just grinned as he raised his sword to rush at Ashmon. "Ashmon can be faster to." She said pulling out one of her Digi Modify Cards. It may not be fast enough but she had to try. "Digi Modify!" She yelled swiping the card across her D-Arc. "Hyper Speed activated!"

Ashmons speed increased and just in time he just narrowly avoided getting chopped into bits of sushi. He swings his own sword with increased speed at Jacob. '_I don't want to do this Jacob.' _She thought. _But you leave me know choice.' _

"Ouch!" She said as she recoiled the hand was holding her D-Arc. It had begun sparking with electricity.

"I wouldn't recommend doing that again." Jacob warned after blocking the strike from Ashmon.

"You wouldn't would you?" She said in a slightly arrogant tone. It was all fake she wasn't feeling so confident now. All her confidence in her own abilities were weakening.

"All Digivices are connected together on one level or another." He said. "Which means if one is corrupted…." He turns to the black D-Arc that had appeared again on the ground. "They all are."

"Using another card it could spread to Ashmon." He said and in mock concern added, "We wouldn't want that would we?"

Keeping up the act she had been playing for years she said, "Guess I'll have to solve that wont I?" _How long…can I keep up this act. _She thought then she shook her head. '_I have to keep it up, have to be strong, or…'_

"You'd have to kill me first." He said, with full confidence that she couldn't do that. But if he should have known by now, if It had to be done Ashley would do it. She couldn't let her own personal feelings keep her from doing what had to be done. But maybe he did know her and maybe he did know that her mind was shaking, becoming open, easier to break. If he realized this then he could be the only one to have penetrated the mind of Ashley. Something not even the original Jacob, or any of the tamers had been able to do. Breaking the stand off that had ensued that comment he swung at Ashmon.

She hastily put up her barrier again but it was weak, "Trust me I'm working on it." Ashmon dodged his strike each of them moving faster then before but neither any faster then the other. With no solution coming to her mind she said, "Ashmon retreat…for now."

He nodded, "Affirmative." He jumped back to Ashley's side. Not a step of hesitation in his voice. He knew Ashley well enough to know that she was rattled, even if he still couldn't figure out the workings of her mind yet. She still couldn't bring herself to even rely on her Digimon. Not fully anyways. It might have been Jacob to first truly understand her but look at what had happened to him.

Then something unexpected, Jacob spoke but it was his voice alone not that sick twisted version of him, Swordmon and that outside force. "I'd drop the Digivice if I were you." He said.

Ashley looked down at her Digivice it suddenly was half black. The Virus must have hidden it from her. '_But how…?_ ' "This is…impossible. Come on Ashmon we're leaving." She said and Ashmon came and picked her up placing her on his shoulder.

The distorted voice was suddenly back, "Heh run but next time you so much as set foot in this world you will be mine."

"Wouldn't be so sure of that." She said dropping her D-Arc which was now completely black. She took one last sad look at Jacob and then her and Ashmon returned to the real world. Ashmon back in his rookie form of Firemon. "Fuck!" She said aloud slamming her fist into the wall. "Damnit Jacob your supposed to be stronger then that."

Back in the Digi-World Jacob walks over to her dropped Digivice. "The others won't be warned in time…and they will…" He picks up her D-Arc, "…be mine!"


	4. Chapter 3: Muggers

Rather short chapter this time it'll be longer next time. Sorry.

Oh and if you read it I'd love if you reviewed. Good or bad. Just make sure if its bad you make it constructive. Tell me why its bad and offer something to help me improve. I'm an artist but sometimes I just wanna be able to write my ideas to.

Last thing is

Swordmon and Jacob (c) Lindsay

Firemon and Ashley (c) Me

Digimon (c) Bandai.

and enjoy.

* * *

She needed her backpack. It was the middle of the night and the only digital gate had led her into the middle of the city; in a dark alleyway. The wrong place for a girl her age to be in the middle of the night but she didn't care right now. _The Digiworld is corrupted. Damn you Jacob you're a dumb ass. Thanks to you I don't even have my Digivice. Now there's no way I'll ever find a gate to take me to the digital world and even if I somehow get back what am I gonna find? How many Digimon will be deleted? _

This all led to an even greater problem. _Without my Digivice Firemon cant Digivolve. If his mega form couldn't beat Jacob there's no way his rookie form can._

She told Firemon to follow her but to stay out of sight. She didn't want to attract any unwanted attention. Lest anyone she knew see her. She headed out the alley with no problems and down the deserted street with no problems.

It was getting cold though she needed to get her backpack. She had hid it on the outskirts of the city but that was miles away it'd take her all night to reach it. _Damn digi-ports. _She thought.

While she was walking it gave her greater time to think. She should warn the others but she didn't have the money to contact them. _No…This time I really am on my own. _There was no one she could turn to. She couldn't even use her Digivice to contact them; Jacob had made sure of that. _Fuck you Jacob. Ruin everything. You're not supposed to be this weak. _

So deep in thought she didn't even notice the hooded figure following behind her. If she had she wouldn't have turned down the dark alleyway taking a shortcut and told Firemon to meet her on the other side. Her lack of attention was going to cost her.

"Hey there little lady." The figure said, catching her attention. She turned around and looked at him with her cold ice blue eyes. She couldn't see his eyes because the hood covered them so her attempt to stare him down was futile. _How can I be so careless as to make a mistake like this? _She wondered. However calm her face was clearly she was off her game today.

Instead she used her monotone voice which she had perfected in an attempt to scare him away. "What do you want?"

"Oh nothin' too much." He replied in a tone that implied otherwise. He took a few steps towards her forcing her to back up to keep the distance. Unfortunately she bumped into another hooded man standing behind her. One was bad but two people getting the jump on her. _Maybe that Jacob thing is affecting me more then I thought. _

Before she could get away he grabbed her and held her, preventing her from getting away. She weakly attempted her pull herself free but that wasn't happening. He was too strong. The other man approached her reaching into his pocket but for what she didn't know.

_No Firemon to help you. No one to help you. Gotta do it yourself. The irony here is amazing._

She kicked backwards catching the man holding her in a _very_ vulnerable spot. He let go of her long enough for her to scramble away. She wasn't going to run, but in the end that may have proved to be a wise choice. For the man who was reaching into his pocket had pulled out a knife and started advancing on her wielding it blade upwards.

He took a swing at her but she caught his arm before it could do anything and twisted the knife out of his hands. It fell to the floor with a clatter. The man she had kicked attempted to grab her again. But she side stepped him and while his motion was moving forward she pushed him as he passed so he fell face first into cement.

The knife man tackled her while her attention was diverted and the both fell to the ground. He attempted to pin her to the ground and shouted something to his friend in a language she did not recognize. It might have been French or German she had no idea. She only spoke one language and had never bothered to learn any others.

Ashley attempted to get the Knife man off her but in a wrestling match she had no hope. He managed to pin her arms to the ground so she couldn't move. His friend then pulled out a needle from his pocket. It was filled with something but she didn't know what. She didn't really care what if was she didn't want it jabbed into her.

She glanced to the side the knife was laying there. _If she could reach it_… She kept her eyes on the man pinning her down and grabbed the knife she hurled it into his side. She man cried out in pain and Ashley shoved him to the side and quickly scrambled to her feet. The needle man came at her attempting to stick the needle in her.

She stabbed him in the gut with it when he got close enough. She wrenched it in as deep as she could, the adrenaline pumping through her mixed with her rage she had been hiding in her since Jacob had been corrupted. He groaned and fell over blood pouring from his gut and gurgling from his mouth.

"That's for Jacob." She said before she had time to think about what she was saying. Then she realized a pain in her arm. She looked at it. A needle was stuck in it. So he had been able to get her before she killed him. She ripped it out of her arm.

She laughed in spite of it all. She didn't know what but she found something in this hilarious.

"Better meet Firemon. I'm sure he's worried." She said and hurried off to meet him.


	5. Chapter 4: I Promise

Chapter 4 is up, I actually like this chapter alot longer then the last one that was rather short. Too short if you ask me. Anyways I think this one's better but hell feel free to tell me otherwise. Cant improve till I get some feedback. So I encourage you to review.

Firemon and Ashley (c) Me

Swordmon and Jacob (c) Lindsay

Cole (c) Cole

Digmon (c) Bandai

And now enjoy

* * *

Firemon paced recklessly back and forth at the exit of the alleyway. Where the hell was Ashley? She really should have been there by now. He couldn't help thinking that something bad might have happened to her. He should go see if she was alright but she had told him to meet her here and he would meet her _here. _He sighed and continued waiting.

---------------

Ashley stumbled through the alleyway heading towards the exit. That needle must have done something to her but she couldn't let it bother her. She had to continue, she had to think of a way to beat Jacob, she had to… she had to… What did she have to do again? She couldn't remember everything was getting fuzzy.

She pressed forward. It was nothing, she had to focus, but it was getting harder. '_No' _she told herself, she had to continue, just a little farther now. '_What was that?' _Was someone following her? She couldn't distinguish between reality and fantasy, it was getting harder to walk, her footsteps swayed.

She managed to get the exit and to a very worried Firemon. "What take so long?" He asked his voice on the edge.

Ashley looked down at Firemon, he looked up at her. The look on his face was one of worry but that's not what Ashley saw. Whatever she saw must have been funny because she broke out into a fit of laughter.

She doubled over laughing for about 30 seconds, Firemon just starring at her blankly not knowing what to do. This had never happened before; Ashley had always been in control, at least on the exterior. Firemon knew that Jacob had shaken her but he didn't know about the needle. Then she started coughing up blood.

Ashley coughed and coughed and when Firemon moved to help her she waved him off. She was trying to stay in control of herself but she was getting delirious she wanted to laugh, and cry, She coughed one last time and then her vision darkened. She fell forward and before Firemon could catch her she hit the pavement face first; passed out.

---------------

She awoke later, her head pounding. She didn't know how much time had passed; she couldn't remember what had happened. Her memory was fuzzy as was her vision; it was still hard to concentrate.

She saw a patch of red in her vision, "Firemon?" she called out uncertainly. A voiced replied to her, she didn't know what it said but she knew it was Firemon. She recognized his voice anywhere.

'_You recognized Jacobs voice anywhere to.' _She said and then her whole body shook. All the memories came back to her, memories of that horrible voice. The voice that was Jacob, and yet wasn't.

She cried out in pain her head pounding. Firemon rushed and poured some liquid down her throat, she fell asleep shortly after that.

---------------

When she woke again her head was clear and her vision had returned. She was not in any physical pain, but then again that wasn't the worst kind of pain there was. Her heart felt like it was being torn in two, she had to kill the virus (which in itself was a problem) but the chances that Ashley would also destroy Swordmon, and Jacob along with the virus was high.

"Damn that fucking virus!" She yelled at the sky above her. She forced herself to stand up. Firemon was gone somewhere. She'd have to wait for him to return. She had no way to contact him.

It gave her time to think though, there had to be a way to defeat the virus. Jacob had said something about an anti-virus. But where the hell was she gonna find something like that? Even if there was a way to get some sort of anti-virus how would she make sure the virus got it? Would it fix the enviable damage that the virus had almost certainly caused to the digital world?

'_Too many questions, not enough answers.' _She thought to herself, '_I'll worry about that later right now I need to focus on what's going on right now…where the fuck am I?' _

She looked around she couldn't see anything but trees. Not much of a clue to tell her where she was. She had definitely got out of the city though, for what it was worth. Firemon must have taken her here. She had to hand it to the little guy he certainly was strong.

Her pack lay at the foot of a tree. She hoped there was food in it because she was starved. She walked over and opened it; she grabbed her sweater and pulled it over her head before rummaging around and grabbing a loaf of bread.

Just as she took a bite from it Firemon came running back. "How be you?" He asked, she admired how even now he carried himself.

"I'm fine…my memories a little fuzzy, I couldn't hear you before and my head hurts but its nothing." She bit into the bread again and it must have stirred up something in her stomach because she hurled it all back up and then some.

Firemon made a move to go help her but Ashley put her hand out stopping him. She recomposed herself and said as if nothing was wrong in the world, "Ok guess I'll skip on food for a while." Seeing the look on Firemons face she moved on discussing what really mattered here. "Few questions, one where the hell are we? Second, do you know what was in that needle? And third and it's the most important…The virus, we need a way to stop it, what do you suggest we do?"

"We outside city, about half digi-span and a bit. Don't know but I think you should wait, wait till you all better. If we are to find way, perhaps we should seek Cole. He know much on human terms such as 'virus'"

Ashley nodded; she didn't want to resort to the others. She wasn't sure they'd understand, could she even trust them? As much as Jacob had fucked up she didn't want to hurt him, and she wasn't sure she could count on the others for that. She wasn't even sure _she _could be counted on for that. But under the circumstances she had no choice. She solemnly said "Fine we'll get Cole, but I hope your damn good at hitchhiking."

---------------

It took Ashley and Firemon a week to get back to where Cole lived. The trip normally would only have taken two or three days…If Firemon had been able to Digivolve, or she had a car. Apparently people were still wary of picking a hitchhiker with a Digimon. Not that she blamed them they were practically walking weapons, never mind worrying if she had a gun or not.

When she finally did manage did get back to where it had all started she was exhausted. She had had little to no sleep; her dreams had made sure of that. And food still hadn't managed to stay down long enough to consider anything a 'meal'. She felt ready to die but she still had a job to do.

She knew that Cole would still be in school now so she waited by his house. Not on the property she didn't want his parents to see her and freak out wondering where the hell she'd been. No that would have caused problems. Instead she waited down the street and in amongst the trees with her hood pulled up over her face.

She didn't have to wait long for Cole to come walking by; she grabbed him and pulled him into the clump and trees. He was about to scream for help when she pulled her hood away revealing her face. Then he was too shocked to do anything, much less scream for help.

Then he got over it and started babbling. "Ashley! Wha …what are you doing here? I thought you had died for sure, you never contacted any of us, and Jacob would never say if he knew anything. I tried to contact you but when you didn't reply I...I assumed..."

"Shut up and listen for a moment would you." She said rudely and he immediately stopped babbling and listened. "I ran away you saw my parents when I told them about Firemon, I would have had a worse life with that, worse then it was anyways. I couldn't take it, and you know that." She said staring him directly in the eye. Her cold ice eyes penetrating, but beneath the coldness was something…else. It showed all the pain in the world you could get lost in it and break down into despair; such was the sadness behind it.

Cole looked away he saw the sadness and he couldn't look it in the eye. His parents were divorced but he never had to suffer the way Ashley did. He couldn't sympathize because he knew nothing and Ashley wouldn't have wanted it, she wasn't that type of girl. "But you didn't even tell us…" He said in a low defeated voice. He knew why she hadn't told them, but he still felt the need to say it.

Cole was the tallest out of all their group of Tamers, he was tall and he was skinny and he was perhaps the smartest out of them all, but what he wasn't was a quick thinker and definitely not in the thick of battle. He didn't have half the survival instincts of Ashley, or even Jacob. Ashley was a short girl and Cole was very tall but he couldn't look her in the eye, he couldn't stand up to her. Ashley knew this but she didn't care, all she cared about right now was saving the Digital world, and maybe even Jacob and Swordmon in the process.

"Don't pretend you don't know why I didn't tell you. You're smart enough so figure it out. If I had told you, you would of told your parents, my parents, the police, _someone_. It not even just you anyone would have blabbed, I couldn't risk it. I had to hide…_completely." _She put emphases on the last word hoping Cole wouldn't pry too much into what she just said. For she had told someone, someone she had thought she could trust. But just look where that was going.

Cole knew she trusted Jacob, or rather he suspected. It was impossible to know Ashley she never revealed more then she wanted you to know. He left it alone though it wasn't worth what she would do to him if he suggested it. "So why come back?" He said as if he didn't already know, rather then play idiot again he quickly added, "I gather its something to do with the digital world. Last time I went there my D-Arc turned black and I had to leave it behind when I returned to the real world. What's going on?"

Ashley paused as if thinking over what she was gonna say or maybe her composition was breaking. Cole couldn't be sure but if whatever this was, was breaking even her it had to be serious. "It a virus…"

She trailed off half because she didn't want to explain the rest and half because Cole cut her off. "A virus? How did a virus enter the Digital World?"

Again another pause, "…It's…Its Jacob." She said regaining the confidence in her voice, back to simply stating the facts allowing no emotion into her voice. "When Swordmon 'disappeared' months ago it because a virus somehow managed to work its way into the Digital World, It attacked a nearby village and Jacob defended it. He didn't call for help and the Virus Deleted Swordmon." She ignored the look on Cole's face and the silent mouthing of 'deleted?' "The Virus took over Swordmon and corrupted him. Jacobs Digivice became corrupted, since all Digivices are connected his corrupted one corrupted the rest.

Jacob...he…he had come to warn me, When Swordmon was deleted Jacob saved part of his core and created Blademon from it. I didn't like this so before he could warn me I got on his case about it. He eventually released Swordmon's core and Blademon disappeared, without it he couldn't live in one solid form. Jacob then told me about the virus, he left immediately after warning me about it dropping his D-Arc along with it. On it I saw Swordmon, he was corrupted he mocked me then disappeared.

Jacob wasn't gone for long, He came back but then again… he didn't. He was Jacob but different. Somehow the virus got to him to, I ordered Firemon Digivolve into Ashmon and he… Digivolved or something I don't know what to call it. Suddenly he was like Jacob and Swordmon combined but only with something else to. It was like them and then it wasn't. When he…it…talked it sounded like Swordmon and Jacob but it was distorted. We fought but when it became apparent that I could not win we retreated, but not before my own D-Arc became corrupted and I was forced to leave it behind when I left the Digital world."

Cole was now looking right at it, his expression was difficult to read; there were too many emotions passing through it. It was then Ashley's turn to look away; she was doing everything in her power not to cry. She had never cried before she wasn't going to break now. She was however shaking; she regained her composure by the time Cole had processed all this information.

"Ashley, we will beat Jacob. It's a virus, so we need an anti-virus. Simple, eh?" He said putting on a fake smile and trying to be light hearted like he had been in the past. But things weren't like then, they were changing and they had to cope. "That's what you came to me for wasn't it? You wanted to see if I could figure out how to beat it."

Ashley looked back at him and nodded.

"Then it'll be done, promise."


	6. Chapter 6: Take Him Down

First a shout out to **Horizen Skies **for there comment on my story. I know you commented a while back and i'm sorry it took me till now to give a shoutout. But thanks for commenting, its much apprechiated. This next chapter is dedicated in your honor.

Firemon and Ashley (c) Me

Swordmon and Jacob (c) Lindsay

Cole (c) Cole

Digimon (c) Bandai

* * *

"Remember this Cole; if you make a promise to me you'd better keep it." She stared into his eyes, her ice blue eyes piercing through him. She took promises _very _seriously; she'd been caused too much pain from broken ones. "I was once made a promise, they didn't keep it, and now they've lost my trust forever. If you break this to me I will tear you in half rip your flesh from your bones. Now…do you still promise this to me?"

He starred back at her. He was prepared to make that promise to her. "I promise, I'll find a way to beat it." Even if he failed he was prepared to take the consequences, he couldn't let the digital world fall because of Jacob. Not one of their own, they'd stop him…or die trying.

-------

Another weeks passed, too much time in Ashley's opinion. While the time passed who knew what Jacob was doing to the digital world. The only comfort they took in it was that at the very least they knew their Digimon were safe. His reach didn't seem to have spread as far as the real world. At least not yet but it couldn't be long before he figured out a way to reach the digital plane in this world to.

Ashley had spent the days in hiding, Cole had brought her meals so she didn't starve and they were going down better. But her dreams were still there, still destroying any chance at sleep. She knew they needed to figure everything out soon, but there was much still left to be solved.

Even if they found some sort of anti-virus they still had no way to return to the digital world. If not for the fact that it wasn't just her life that Jacob was ruining she might of just given up and died, but there were so many others counting on them and she wasn't going to let them down.

_'And now I care about others… Maybe I have changed after all.' _The thought amused her, in a dark sort of way.

Cole's mother was a work until late today so they were downstairs in his basement, where his computer was. They were trying to find a way to deal with it. Cole had come up with all sort of anti-virus programs but all the tests they could conduct couldn't even match the power that Jacob's virus could produce. There was just no way to know if anything they did would be powerful enough to take it down.

They were so engrossed in their work they didn't even here Cole's mother come home until she was downstairs and they heard her gasp of surprise. They both whirled around and froze dead solid.

"Ashley?" His mother said still is shock. Evidently she had also thought she had died.

_'Fuck! What's wrong with me?' _ She wasn't going to get out of this one without messing everything up that she had worked towards since Firemon had come to her years ago. '_Fuck it.'_

"Cole hand me the disk with the anti-virus." She shouted at him, ignoring his mom.

Cole protested, "But its not finished, the tests clearly show…"

"Fuck the damn tests, give me the fucking disk." She shouted, ready or not they obviously weren't going to get a chance to finish it. Better that then nothing.

Cole wordlessly grabbed the disk and handed it to her. Before he had much time to react Ashley grabbed his arm and dragged him up the stairs past his mother, knocking her down in the process.

They ran out the door and didn't stop until they were in the middle of town, by one of the bridges that lead across the river separating the town in half. She pulled him down the side of the river under the bridge.

She didn't speak until they both had their breath back. No doubt the cops would be called, and the station wasn't far from the bridge. They didn't have much time, she'd been found alive that certainly would be news the entire town. The dead Digimon Tamer who had helped save the digital world wasn't so dead after all, but very much alive. That would be news to Digimon supporters and even to those who were against it. She couldn't return to this town ever again, she'd be found, forced back to her parents. It would be like a jail. She didn't want to live there.

So now she would give Cole a choice, "You're not a moron so I'm going to lay down the options to you right now. Option number one is, you come with me without a fight and help me take down the virus. The odds that you _will _die are very likely, and you will never be able to return to this town again, under _any_ circumstances. "She paused, was there any other option? She had just ruined his life, there was no way she could let him return. He'd be pressured to tell the cops everything he knew about her and how to find her.

_Unless…_ "The other option…" _How far was she willing to go to stop Jacob? How much was she willing to lose?_ The answer, as far as it took and she'd lose everything to stop him. There was no question about it. "I let you go right now, with no information as to what I'm doing, what I plan on doing, where I'm going and how I'm getting there. I will then never be able to contact you again and you will never see me again, for the rest of your life. I have the only disk with the anti-virus and even you don't know how to trace it. Those are your options, and really Cole I don't give a shit what you choose. So hurry up."

Cole's eyes shifted back and forth, he had to decide now. He could go with Ashley but his parents needed him… But so did Ashley… didn't she? He then knew his choice. "I can't go with you. I'm sorry Ashley."

"Don't apologize, you made you decision. Now get out of my sight." She turned her back to him.

"Take him down Ashley." He said before turning around and running away from her. He doubted he'd ever have to make such a decision again. He hoped not. Once he rounded the nearest building he fell over he back against the wall, and he cried. '_Take him down Ashley…"_

-------------------

Ashley watched Cole run away, and silently thanked him for all his help. She doubted he'd ever know how much his friendship meant to her. He had remained her friend until the very end, which meant a lot. She wasn't always the easiest person to be around. She was guilty of being a bitch to him more then once. She didn't fault him for his decision to leave her now; he had a family after all, no matter how broken.

"Come one Firemon, let's get out of here." She said impassionedly.

-------------------

She was at the next town over before she aloud herself the luxury of resting, she didn't sleep, she couldn't; the threat of discovery was too great if she closed her eyes for even a second. She turned to Firemon, "So what now? Even with this…" She flashed the disk back and forth, as if studying it. "We still can't get to the Digital World. Do you have any ideas because my brain is stripped." She said, and it was true. Now matter how much she willed it her brain just didn't want to function. She could only think of one thing

'_Jacob.'_

It had become and obsession, she had to take him down. But the road to that path was clouded from her vision. She couldn't understand anything except what it was she wanted to do. Her mind was a blur and the only thing focused in it was Jacob, or whatever the hell he had become. Her dreams, her thoughts, her whole existence itself was centered on him.

"Just one." He said, not looking at her. He couldn't stand the look that haunted his tamers face. It was worse then death, he didn't quite know how to explain it but it terrified him. The other fear was that he could do nothing about it. He knew quite well why that haunted look was there; it was Jacob and that made it even worse. He knew not how to resolve the situation to make his tamer happy. It was all he wanted that's why he worked so hard, it was all for that ever elusive smile. The rarity of it on her face, made having it there worth all the pain of battle. But it was not there now, and he feared it would never be there again.

"What is it?" She said, noticing the way he never looked at her anymore. She thought it was because he thought that she was somehow responsible for the way things were turning out. '_He blames me. Rightly so, if I was stronger then this virus would not of spread so quickly. If I was a little better then I could have beat it. If I…." _

Firemon had to be careful how he worded his next sentence, "Jacob virus, digital world done. But he not forgets Ashley. He still knows you threat. He come, if he shown where his enemy be."

"Yes… his enemy." Firemon heard Ashley whisper. '_Stupid, stupid Firemon.' _ He scolded himself. That was not what he should have said. He was scolding himself when he realized something. He'd seen other tamers in the digiworld with their Digimon. They'd always seemed so happy, laughing alongside their tamers. He tried to recall a moment like that between him and his tamer but he couldn't. It saddened him to no degree that, in a moment like this their deaths almost secured at the hands of a former friend that Firemon with all his digital heart just wished for one moment like that. _'How greedy can I be…?'_

-----------------------

"We can't get him to answer any of our questions."

"Have you gotten anything out of him? Anything at all we can use to find her? She's been missing for how long now? God knows a child that age can't get by on her own."

"She has the Digimon of hers… Flaremon or whatever the devil its name is."

"A Digimon is no substitute for a guardian."

"But…"

"Back to the topic, we need info, and this young man is the only one who's been in contact with her recently."

"The boy won't talk, like I said earlier."

"What the devil do you mean? He's a grade A student, not an incoherent hobo."

"Would you like to interrogate him? He won't so much as make a sound, its like he's in a trance."

"This man's got one of them Digi-hickers to doesn't he? Get that beast in here and make it talk."

"There's something…"

"What now?"

"It's…gone."


End file.
